Positive reinforcement puppy training isn\u2019t just a catchy phrase we like to use. It really is the most up to date and ethical way of training dogs! Truly the golden ticket to success. We at Zigzag have come a long way in the fields of dog cognition and understanding how they feel, and have adapted our methods to train them accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019re going to go deep into what is positive reinforcement training, why Zigzag follows positive reinforcement training, how to train your dog with positive reinforcement, tips for getting started with positive training and what to do when your training doesn\u2019t work like it should. Sometimes things won\u2019t go right\u2026that\u2019s something no one can avoid, not even with positive reinforcement training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Download the Zigzag puppy training app<\/a>, to start your puppy\u2019s journey with positive reinforcement training today. With our team of professional dog trainers<\/a>, you\u2019ll have all your questions answered and hand held 24\/7 via our in-app chat. Just give \u2018em a ring when things go south – they\u2019ll help turn you around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Positive reinforcement training is one part of operant conditioning, developed by the father of behaviorism, psychologist B.F Skinner. You might remember a Skinner box from your high school books?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how it works: You reward behaviors that you want to see to increase the likelihood of them happening again. Okay – let\u2019s break it down even more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You ask a dog to sit – dog sits – dog receives treat – chances of dog wanting to sit again are highly likely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Get it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Zigzag app<\/a>, we teach you to train using reward based training throughout your entire puppy training journey, breaking each exercise down into bite-sized pieces. That way, we make sure your dog learns new things effectively, and you don\u2019t feel overwhelmed while you\u2019re at it. Sounds good, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s actually about ethics. We follow the science that says dogs are sentient beings, and that they are able to feel a whole range of emotions. Therefore, treating them with pain or aversive methods isn\u2019t a thing anymore. Modern thinking means that positive reinforcement training is the most ethical way to train.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out our guiding principles<\/a> to learn more about why we developed our app with ethics, modern science and how dogs think and feel as a way of learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Training with positive reinforcement follows a step-by-step process, but at its core, it\u2019s training with some kind of reward to increase behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about your dog\u2019s current skill level, and how much they have been taught to learn already. If they are squeaky new to training, start off with something easy! <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the saying goes: \u2018The dog decides what they find reinforcing, not us\u2019. It basically means your dog will choose what they find motivating to work for. Some will have a soft spot for treats, while others will go insane for a squeaky toy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a list of reinforcers you maybe hadn\u2019t thought about already: <\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve got plenty more ideas for you to check out in our treats and rewards<\/a> article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A marker can be a word like \u2018yes\u2019 or \u2018good\u2019, a mouth click, a clicker noise, a whistle\u2026lots of different things. But whatever you choose, the most important thing is that your dog understands that when they hear that marker, they did the right thing and food or another reward is coming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more in our article on clicker training.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n When your pup performs the correct behavior, we want to use that marker at exactly the time when they do that particular action. Then, give them their reward. This way, they understand what they are being rewarded for, and it\u2019s very clear to them. This will help them learn quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Starting training a new behavior in a low-stress environment. The place where you and your dog spend most of your time will work best – like your living room – so that they aren\u2019t distracted with fluttering butterflies or anything more interesting than you might be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s be real – training for long sessions can get tiring and a bit boring. Keep your positive reinforcement sessions short to prevent your puppy\u2019s attention from glitching!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Positive reinforcement training should be fun for your dog, but also fun for you! If you\u2019re not having a good time, finding it stressful or you feel your dog isn\u2019t picking things up fast enough, don\u2019t panic, take a break and come back to it later.. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn’t take a lot to get started with positive reinforcement training. First, get yourself a treat pouch, and just start rewarding your dog when they do things you like. Simple as that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also look at the SMART 50 system of rewarding behaviors that we talk about in our article 50+ training games. <\/a>Lots of cool things to see there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dogs do what they find rewarding, simply because they don\u2019t know what else to do. If your dog isn\u2019t doing what you want, then try to reframe it. Think about it like this: If you show them what you want them to do instead, it means they CAN\u2019T do the thing you don’t want them to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An example of this is a dog who jumps up when you come home. Instead of allowing this to happen, train them to sit<\/a> when they see you or visitors. Over time, sitting is going to be much more rewarding to them than jumping up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another thing worth mentioning is management. Management is a huge part of training a dog – we need to help them make the right choices by managing their environment so that the outcome is more likely to be behavior we want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the idea of management still doesn’t sound too clear, you should check out our article on management here. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n To get started training your dog the right way, with positive reinforcement training, download the Zigzag app.<\/a> Our training programs are personalized based on the breed and age of your dog. Doesn’t matter if they\u2019re a young pup or older dog, a rescue or a breeder dog, a Yorkie or a Great Dane. We\u2019ve got you covered. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is positive reinforcement training?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why do we follow positive reinforcement principles? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to train your dog with positive reinforcement?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Decide what you want to train your dog to do<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Choose your reinforcer based on what your dog likes <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Choose a marker <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Timing is everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Train your dog in an environment they can learn effectively<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keep sessions short<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Have fun! <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tips for getting started with positive reinforcement<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to act when your dog isn\u2019t behaving as you\u2019d like<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n